I will be the best!

Small promo for this monkey king

Indie.Wukong from League of Legends. || fast-and-dumb

     Oh sweet celestials–

     The attack comes suddenly enough that Zed is forced to call upon the shadows in order to dodge it. His form fades into darkness and out of existence, only to reappear just out of range of the staff. 

     This is risky. The conversation has given him time to recover his energy, but using magic, attempting to wrest it under one’s control takes a toll on the soul that is not so swiftly recuperated. He will have to rely on physical strength alone if he wishes to win, and especially if he hopes to retain enough energy to summon a portal back to the Order of Shadow.

     –Fine. So be it. Vastaya or not, Zed has spent his life fighting. That he must avoid killing this one if he hopes to prove his point is an added layer of complexity, but still:

     He is the Master of Shadows, and none shall stop him from reaching his goals. He leaps back, holding his blades up in front of him. “Again. I do not kill innocents.”

     If this damned Wukong refuses to cease his attacks, however, then Zed cannot possibly be faulted for saving his own skin. If a casualty arrives in the process, so be it – What man values the life of another over their own?

Wukong frowned. Shadows? He was going to fight a shadow? Master Yi was light though and catching him was hard enough. How was he going to catch a shadow?

“You don’t kill, you slaughter. I don’t like that.” He said before retracting his staff and giving it a quick spin. Kicking off the dirt clouds seemed for form under the Shimon and he dashed at Zed with great speed. He gripped his staff ready to give a heavy side blow.

Rakan watched, ears tilted forward, clearly captivated as the shimon begins to relay his story, his emerald gaze and attention caught. the lhotlan was well aware that he was far from the only vastayan out there interested in humans, but the way that Wukong spoke of the man … it made the avian CURIOUS. was this master really all that great to have caught the admiration of the great Kong ?

     “ he sounds … interesting. funny that you approached him at all, i’d totally keep away from someone whose helmet looks like a strange insect, ya’ know ? “

his fingers dance along his legs, playing some unknown tune on some unknown instrument as his mind wanders. were humans really capable of being all that great ? from what he’d seen so far, sure, there were some humans he could get along with. but follow one ? he still didn’t understand. he didn’t want to. too much thinking.

     “ what do you guys even do ? wander around, train, beat up baddies ? “

Wukong gave him a bit of a laugh. At least someone who agrees with him that Yi looks silly half the time. Even though he’s gotten used to the helmet, it was hard for the two of them not to attract attention when they were in a village.

“You’re right. He does look silly and I make sure he knows it. He doesn’t seem to care what I think about appearances. Says, ‘I got no room to talk.’ Even though I think myself rather handsome,” he brushed back what hair was on his head. “He was just some random human in a place where humans stopped going. It was more strange that he was close to Vastayans in the first place.”

     Gods above, why do they never understand!? Zed cannot afford to fight, not when the tides of his energy ebb so low, but it is difficult to temper his rage and still his heart’s furious beating when the blood on his blade is misunderstood.

     “I do not kill those who are undeserving of death. I have never killed an innocent soul. I don’t–”

     Zed ought to hold his tongue and leave this conversation. If they fight, he will be forced to still his blade to prove his point, which puts him at risk of injury that he cannot afford, not now, not ever. 

     He closes his eyes, inhales through his nose, then exhales a long, slow breath. “You cannot possibly know whether those you know have been through worse than I. You know nothing of who I am. If you know the war, then you know that the Noxians’ violence has ripped through this nation and left it fragmented. We cope with this differently, I, at least, have elected to do something about it. Now then–”

     He turns aside, carefully avoiding contact with the staff and attempting to continue on his path home. “Are you going to attack me over something you hardly comprehend, or will you leave me be?”

Wukong for once went silent. He pulled his staff back to his side and stood tall. He did not like this human. Not one bit. The stench of blood was starting to get to him. Wukong would put himself up as a good judge of fights. This wasn’t something fair, at least in his eyes.

Inhaling softly he let out a breath and turned his body from the ninja. He made it seem like he was on his way to leave. Quickly he spun around on his heal and pointe this staff at Zed.

the lhotlan has to chuckle at that one, shaking his head and giving a sigh, shrugging all the while. a classic gesture of EXASPERATION, if there ever was one.

     “ you would think those idiot ninjas practicing all those shadow clones would be both smarter and faster, but here we both are, not captured and talking about them. “

with that he tilts his head, the words running through his ears. most of the words pass, but one sticks out prominently. Yi. the human swordsman that this shimon had SUBJUGATED himself under. Rakan wasn’t going to lie, it didn’t sit well with him that this guy had basically devoted himself to a human practice.

but so goes life, he supposed.

     “ yeah, give him a good word from me. we could use any of the help we can get. anyways, how did you meet, erhm, Yi in the first place ? i’ve only heard rumors about you and that guy. “

“They talk themselves up, but they don’t have anything to dish out. Huge out down,” Wukong scratched at his neck and picked at the loose hairs. Yi always made mention about him ‘grooming’ himself in public. When he has fur all over his body then he could talk.

“I’ll be sure to do that. Seems to me like the only human that makes sense.” Wukong tail paused for a moment and then continued to sway at Rakkan’s question. No one has really asked him before. Yi told the story and always painted him in a bad light. Now it was Wukong’s turn to tell his side.

the lhotlan visibly brightened at the compliment, running a hand through those white and red locks, gaze appreciative and glimmering.

     “ thanks, i try, although not a lot of people APPRECIATE it like you do. and if you ever want to be absolutely charmed … well, buddy, i’m always charming. “

with that his grin falters for a moment as the shadow clan is mentioned. he recovers by waving a hand, his eyes now moved to stare at some nearby tree. of course the subject would be mentioned, he was part of the rebellion. he wasn’t supposed to talk about certain details of it, but this could be a hiring / possible promotion of another member, right ? Wukong is powerful, right ?

     “ oh those … don’t mind them, they’re not hard to beat. and we’re trying to figure it all out, you know, the magic disappearing– “

he clears his throat and backtracks.

     “ i mean, the whole shadow attacks and all that. yeah. we’re going pretty well and are always looking for new members, if you want to give it a shot. “

“Well yeah they weren’t that hard to fight. With all the talk they do you’d think they wold know a fake me when they see one,” Wukong scoffed.

Still though...all those people they killed. That was no laughing matter. It all had to do with the war or because of the war. Ionia was divided that much he could see. He honestly couldn’t see what side he wold stand on. Whatever side Master Yi stood for he would follow.

Rakan gave the other vastayan a once over. okay, so he called himself ‘ king, ‘ and he practiced WUJU, the god-awful name of that lost sword-style of the island south of the placidium that he’s heard rumors of among human villages.

so. this guy was Wukong. Rakan may not be the smartest guy around, but he knew at least that. besides, he was practically a legend among the vastayans for being the shimon that left his tribe. some of the more radical called him a traitor for fraternizing with humans. Rakan just shrugged when asked his own opinion on the matter.

          “ please, my dances are more than just CUTE. they’re lively, exciting, and absolutely THRILLING. expand your vocabulary today, buddy, i know i sometimes CHARM the smarts out of people sometimes !! “

his ears flick forward in amusement, his feet curling to crinkle the leaves on the forest floor with a chortle. if this was how he was gonna play, Rakan was going to just have to go along.

Wukong laughed loudly and put a hand on his chest. “Oh man, you are funny!” He stuck his staff in the ground and leaned against it like it were a tree.

“Whenever you decide to charm me let me know.” Wukong grinned and crossed his arms. “Hey, some messed up stuff been going on lately. You uhh, come across some people who use shadows? I’ve seen to attract a lot of them lately.” He shrugged, “I mean they’re no problem just...”

     “Wukong, yes?” Zed holds Wukong’s stare for a moment, as though confirming who he is, then rests his hands on his waist and sighs. “I’m sure you must be familiar with the Noxian invasion. Many of your kind have fallen apathetic to it. Many humans, too. They sit, idle, waiting for something to change one way or another, but refuse to lend even the slightest effort to assist the war itself.”

     He pauses, holding Wukong’s gaze and ignoring the weapon invading his personal space. “Some, still, are worse. I have seen Vastayans who help raze these lands; I have executed hundreds of men who saw fit to steal, and pillage, and burn down villages in the process of attempting to steal our nation. I have personally seen good, innocent women and men slaughtered at the hands of people they thought were neighbours. Noxus is an oppressive force. If one stands idle in our nation’s defense, they are bolstering Noxus’s attack by creating in-fighting, by refusing to stand against them.”

     And here, Zed takes a step forwards, hardly a hair’s length away from the staff. “I have witnessed all this and more. I have done everything I can to ensure your people still have their First Lands and mine still have their Ionia. That is what makes me fit to determine who lives and who dies. You think me cruel? Perhaps. But the war was not won with kindness.”

He knew of the war, he saw bits of it when he was younger. Of course he, like the other Shimon, had no idea what was going on. The sight of it inspired him to fight. Wukong wouldn’t go as far as to say the war inspired him, but it was part of his awakening. 

Wukong wasn’t like other Vastayans. He wasn’t sure if Zed knew that or not. He walked on the path of Wuju instead of participating in the civil war of Ionia. He wasn’t even sure if the other Shimon cared about the wars. Ground walkers always were worried or fighting about something. He gripped his staff tighter as Zed stepped forward. It wouldn’t take much thought to extend the staff to push him back, but he didn’t want Zed to know what he could do just yet.

‘YOU CANNOT FOOL ME WITH THE SAME TRICK FOR THE SIXTEENTH TIME WUKONG. BY THE /STARS!/’

     Zed glances down at his hands, inspecting them to see if any blood has ended up on his glove.       Clean, as far as he can tell, but – ah, no, there, a splatter has landed on the side of his left thumb.

     How unfortunate. He lifts his gaze back to Wukong, who seems unreasonably intent on fighting him, and sighs. His breath is still heavy from the battle; his mind is still stuck on the rush of exhilaration that accompanies absolute control over another’s life.

     To say that it might be difficult for him to justify his motivations in this instant would be an understatement. He takes another breath, trying to organise his thoughts into something rational, into the thoughts of the Zed who truly wants Ionia to thrive, rather than the Master of Shadows who relishes in the power of death.

     “They deserved it. To kill is simple, but the consequences stretch out further than any one person could imagine. I do not kill those who are undeserving. Those who threaten to lead Ionia into a path of balance and risk a Noxian victory, those who actively work to undermine my efforts, Noxian spies, remaining invaders who would try to take over an isolated town – Yes. Innocent men and women? Never.”

“They deserved it?” He questioned.

Wukong frowned that was a response he didn’t want to hear. He always knew who to fight. Wukong made sure that who he fought was ready to fight. One of the few things he thought through. Yi never gave him credit for that.

“Who are you to decide that?” He asked pointing his staff at him. Zed spoke of balance, but not the same way that Yi ever spoke of it. Wukong knew two things: smart and slow and fast and dumb. This though, this wasn’t either. This was just evil.

     Aggressive. This Wukong is aggressive, to say the least.

     His name and title sound familiar, to say the least, although Zed cannot possibly place why no matter how much he racks his brains. It would be good to have context on who this one is, but he must not have heard the name outside of a passing conversation. Perhaps someone mentioned it during his initial research on Vastaya, perhaps he overheard it in another context. 

     Ah, but what does it matter? If he cannot remember, he cannot remember, and should instead focus on gleaning what he can through observation. Wukong appears to disapprove of Zed, though whether this is because of the blood he has spilled or because he has heard of him before Zed could not say. Are they to fight, then? 

     What an inopportune time. His energy is still drained from his recent intensive use of shadow, and his muscles are starting to feel the strain of physical exertion.

     “I am Zed, the Master of Shadows.” One introduction deserves another. “A trained fighter, yes. Some have called me bully before. I believe it is all a matter of perspective. Do you think it fair to make such assumptions before we have had even a single conversation? That hardly seems fair.”

Wukong determined he didn’t like him not at all. He could sense Yi’s sadness and could also sense the evil within Zed. Looking among these people he could tell they weren’t fighters. They were just people.

Wiggling his nose he dropped down from the tree with staff in hand. His tail swayed from side to side. Should he engage? Considering the number of people he’s already downed. The more he stayed around the more he felt a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach.

“Zed huh?” He may have heard a person or two mentions something about shadows. Wukong figured humans were just telling their stories again. Maybe this was something he should take seriously.

[teleports behind u] ‘It is cute that you think I am never around.’